Journey to Middle-earth itself as you travel from Auckland to Matamata, home of the legendary Hobbiton Movie Set, where Peter Jackson filmed The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. When location scouts discovered the Alexander family's 1,250-acre sheep farm in 1998, they found rolling green hills that looked "like a slice of ancient England"—the perfect setting for Tolkien's Shire. Originally built in 1999 with 37 temporary hobbit holes, the set was partially dismantled after filming, but 18 holes survived heavy rains. Rebuilt permanently in 2010 for The Hobbit trilogy, Hobbiton now features 44 meticulously detailed hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn, and gardens that bloom year-round, transforming this once-quiet farming town into one of cinema's most beloved destinations.